Shades of Grey
by Crash
Summary: Deviations: Book III. Darkwing begins investigating a Saint Canard gang war, and discovers that some supervillains have already taken sides in the conflict. But two questions remain: Just how many villains are involved? And who's side are they reall
1. Enter the Greys

  
Shades of Grey.  
By Crash.  
  
  
The Mallard residence... Afternoon...  
  
Drake was sitting on his couch looking intently at the television. Next to the set was Gosalyn's old Digiduck 64 gaming console. Inside the console was the cartridge for 'Justice Ducks: Mano-a-Mano.' Drake was so engrossed in his game that he didn't even notice the racket in the kitchen.  
  
Eventually, Launchpad walked into the living room carrying a large plate of sandwiches. He put the plate down, grabbed a seat, and started munching away. "Mmm, 'Justice Ducks.' So this is why you wouldn't let Gosalyn take her Digiduck to college."  
  
Without taking his eyes of the screen, Drake responded. "Not true, LP. Gosalyn will have enough distractions at college without her Digiduck. The last thing she needs is to spend all her time glued to a TV playing some dumb video game. I kept the Digiduck here for her own good."   
  
Launchpad rolled his eyes at Drake's rationalization. Then he glanced at the screen, where Bouncer Beagle and Gizmoduck were duking it out. "Hey, DW! You're not playing as yourself! I'm shocked!"  
  
"Ah, LP, how little you know me. Sure, I only fought as Darkwing Duck in 'Justice Ducks: One For All,' but that was then. This is now. I have matured since then. I have realized that playing as other characters broadens my horizons. It proves that I am a superb player, and not some talentless hack who relies solely on Darkwing's vastly superior move-set to win."  
  
"Are you sure it isn't because Gosalyn found a way to beat Darkwing with any available character?"  
  
"Of course not, LP."  
  
Launchpad rolled his eyes, grabbed another sandwich, and watched the fight unfold. It wasn't long before Gizmoduck's life meter turned red. Moving in for the kill, Bouncer gave Gizmoduck a swift kick to the gut. While Gizmoduck was bent over in pain, Bouncer grabbed him, raised him over his head, and slammed Gizmoduck into the ground. The normal post-fight events played on the screen, and Drake started a little victory dance.  
  
Launchpad was impressed. "Wow. Was that Bouncer's finisher?"  
  
"Yep, yep, yep." Drake finished up his dance. "The codebook calls it a 'powerbomb.' I like it." Drake pointed to the controller. "You wanna play?" Launchpad nodded and Drake tossed him the controller. "So, d'ya have any favorite characters yet?"  
  
Launchpad shrugged as he picked up the controller. "Not really. Most of the time I just have fun fighting in matches that might actually take place." Launchpad paused as he looked through the fighter roster. "Fights like... An 'Eggman' verses... 'Agent Grizlykoff'--er, I mean 'Agent X.'" Launchpad chucked as he selected a fighter bearing Grizlycoff's likeness. "Heh, heh. I wonder if old Griz is getting any royalties from being in the game."  
  
Drake snorted. "I doubt it. Look at the effort it took for us to get royalties." Drake shook his head at the memory of the royalty debacle. "Besides, Grizlykoff is so out of touch he probably doesn't even realize he's in the game."  
  
While Launchpad fought, Darkwing took a headphone set off the end table. "Well, as long as I'm not doing anything, I might as well see if anything is going on tonight." He tuned the headset to the police frequency and turned it on.  
  
A short while later, Darkwing took off the headset. "I hate to interrupt your game LP, but--"  
  
"We've got a case?"  
  
Drake chucked. "Got it in one, LP. I'll fill you in on the way. Now..." Darkwing paused as he sat down in the armchair. "Off to Darkwing Tower." Drake tapped the mouse statue disappeared.  
  
---------------  
  
Western Saint Canard... Warehouse district...  
  
"Huh, this place looks like Gosalyn's room." Darkwing was standing knee-deep in debris inside a warehouse. The entire interior of the building had been trashed. Most of the support columns and all of the shelves had been knocked over. Whatever had been stored in the warehouse had reduced to rubbish.  
  
Darkwing grimaced as he began wading through the debris. A squelching sound accompanied every step he took. "Like Gosalyn's room... Only wetter. Well, at least we know the building's fire suppression system..." Darkwing trailed off as he stared up at the ceiling.  
  
Shaking his head, Darkwing continued his investigation. He sifted through the debris, looking for any clues that would tell him about the warehouse's past. About who had owned it, why it had been trashed, and by whom. Then, after ten minutes of searching, he found what he was looking for.  
  
It was on one of the remaining support columns, just above eye level. It was an insignia painted on the column. The original insignia had been three gray equilateral triangles, stacked in such a manner that their edges formed a single, larger triangle. However, a second insignia had recently been spray painted on top of the old one. The new insignia consisted of a red 'anarchy A' inscribed in the center of the triangles. Crude red 'wings' extended away from the 'A,' reaching far beyond the edge of the original insignia.  
  
For a moment, Darkwing studied the insignia. Then, with a thoughtful look on his face, he turned and exited the building.  
  
---------------  
  
Back at the Ratcatcher, Launchpad was listening to the police radio. He looked up as Darkwing approached. "Hey DW, guess what... The police actually figured something out! They did a background check on the owner of the warehouse, and found out it was owned by a gang leader. They think he used it to store stolen loot and supplies, and that the warehouse was attacked by some rival gang." Launchpad chuckled. "They finally did something right... I guess there's a first time for everything, eh DW?"  
  
"That there is, LP. Unfortunately, this isn't that time."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"This incident does involve gang activity. The police got that much right. However, the damage was not done by gang members."  
  
"How do ya know?"  
  
"Simple, LP. The wreckage was wet. Even though the incident took place many hours ago, the wreckage is still water logged. For it to take this long for the wreckage to dry, it must have been thoroughly soaked during the incident. No gang could get that much water into the warehouse."  
  
"Couldn't they have just set off the smoke detectors and let the sprinklers soak the warehouse?"  
  
Darkwing chuckled. "You're really thinking today, LP. They could have, if the warehouse had sprinklers. The warehouse was... Not up to code. There were no overhead sprinklers. Indeed, the warehouse had no fire suppression system whatsoever."  
  
"So, how could all that water get there?"  
  
"Simple LP, the gang had help. They had the help of someone powerful enough to completely flood a warehouse that is miles from any large body of water..."   
  
"You mean Splatter Phoenix is back?!" Upon seeing Darkwing's dumbstruck expression, Launchpad explained. "Well, y'know... She could paint a picture of a lake inside the warehouse and bring it to life and use that to flood the place..."  
  
Darkwing raised his eyebrow at his sidekick. "...Launchpad, I never thought I'd say this, but you're thinking too hard. Just think about water, and yell out the first name that comes to mind..."  
  
"Neptunia?" Darkwing buried his face in his hands. Sensing he guessed the wrong person, Launchpad thought for another moment. Finally, it dawned on him. "The Liquidator..."  
  
---------------  
  
Saint Canard... Business district...  
  
Three figures were standing next to their parked car. They were all young, as the oldest couldn't have been more than 25. All wore sunglasses, jackets, bandanas, and various other clothes favored by their generation. At first glance, they were just a nondescript trio of youngsters. Nondescript, except for the fact that, somewhere, each wore an insignia consisting of three gray triangles...  
  
"Joey, you sure we should be doin' this?" The first one asked. "I mean, this serious stuff! If we ain't careful, we're gonna get in too deep!"  
  
Joey, obviously the group's elder and leader, cast a stern glance at his companions. "You think I don't know that? Just getting into this is getting in too deep!" Joey glanced around to make sure nobody noticed his outburst. He then continued in a hushed tone. "Thing is, we don't got a choice. You saw what the Angels did to Mark's place! If they bring that kind of power to a fight, we Greys are gonna be toast!"  
  
Joey took off his sunglasses and put them in the pocket of his leather jacket. "Okay, I'm goin' in. You guys chill here. And stay inconspicuous! We ain't in Angel territory, but we ain't in Grey territory either."  
  
Trying his best to look casual, Joey walked away from his companions and into one of the nearby stores. It was a small store, old, and somewhat run-down. From the outside, it looked like just an ordinary mom-and-pop business. But Joey knew better. For weeks there had been rumors about a new gang leader in town who would loan out his 'super thugs' to whomever could pay his price. The rumor said that the organization was centered in this building. After the incident at the Mark's place, Joey was convinced the rumors were true, and he was determined to get one of these thugs.  
  
Joey entered the foyer of the shop. On the inside, it looked even more run down than the outside. There were cracks in the wall and cobwebs in the corners. A quick look around showed the room was deserted. Undaunted, Joey walked over to the desk, where there was a small sign reading 'Ring bell for service.'  
  
"Quaint." Absently, Joey rang the bell.  
  
A moment later, a door behind the desk opened and a dark figure wearing a trenchcoat and fedora came out. Between the heavy trenchcoat, hat, poor lighting, and the figure's naturally dark complexion, it was impossible to determine the figure's identity. Silently, he strode up to the desk.  
  
"You in charge here?" Asked Joey. The figure nodded. "Good. I want to do some business with you. My name is Joey--"  
  
"Joey 'the Future' Matthews... Yes, I know exactly who you are. You are one of the top field commanders of the West Grey gang. In fact, you are the self proclaimed 'Future' of the Greys, and the expected successor of Mark Aaronson." The figure paused and regarded the stunned expression on Joey's face. "You will find, Mr. Matthews, that I am quite well informed. Now... I believe you said something about doing business..."  
  
Almost instantly, Joey's expression returned to normal. "Yeah... Yeah, I did. Word on the street is that you're the guy to talk to about... Well, lets just say that for a price, you give guys a little extra muscle. I happen to be interested in acquiring a 'little extra muscle.'"  
  
"Ah, I see you are also well informed." The figured cast a glance at a smirking Joey. "All right then, you need some muscle. May I ask what for?"  
  
Joey scowled. "...Lets just say I could use some help defending my boarders..."  
  
"Sounds like you've got yourself a little gang war. And judging by your expression, I'd say you're loosing the war." Joey's scowl deepened. "But lets not dwell on that. You need muscle, I'll provide it... For a price, of course...."  
  
"I wanna see this muscle before I pay for it."  
  
Joey thought he could see a smile on the figure's shadowy face. "My, aren't we blunt today? What ever happened to the good old days? When two people could just stand around and talk before getting down to business. When deals were made at a leisurely pace..."  
  
"They died when people got sick of other people talking too much. Now, what does this muscle look like?"  
  
From a pocket in his trenchcoat, the figure pulled out a test tube filled with water. "Behold! This little tube will provide you with all the muscle you need!" The figure uncorked the tube, and poured the contents onto the desk.  
  
Joey cocked an eyebrow. "Ooooh, a puddle. That'll really hurt the Angels. Unless they bring a sponge..."  
  
The figure pulled out a second test tube, which was also filled with water. He poured a few drops on the puddle. Suddenly, the puddle started bubbling. Startled, Joey stepped back and watched as the water started expanding. The water rose up, then condensed itself into an all too recognizable form.  
  
The Liquidator crossed his arms and smirked proudly at Joey. "No sponge will defeat the Liquidator! That I guarantee!"   
  
---------------  
  
Back in his tower, Darkwing was pacing in front of a large electronic map of Saint Canard. "So... We already know that the 'Angel' gang has enlisted the help of the Liquidator. And that they are intent on using him in their little gang war with the 'Grey' gang. So far, they've already hit two Grey outposts."  
  
"Two?" Asked Launchpad. "I thought all they hit was the warehouse. When was the second strike?"  
  
"Actually, LP, the warehouse was the second strike. I had the computer run through all recent police reports. One of the reports was of a small shop being looted. A pretty minor incident, but the police did notice an unusual amount of water damage in the store. That, coupled with the fact that the store is within the Grey territory, makes me think it was a related incident."  
  
Darkwing walked over to a computer console and tapped a few buttons. In response, the electronic map focused in on the western quadrant of Saint Canard, and several city blocks were highlighted by a light gray glow. Two red 'X's appeared within the gray area.  
  
"This," Darkwing gestured to the highlighted area, "is the supposed territory of the Grey gang. The two places the Liquidator hit," Darkwing pointed to the two 'X's, "are both along the eastern edge of the territory, which supports the gang war motive. Since he's been unhindered so far, the Liquidator will probably strike again, and strike soon. But this time, we'll be there to stop him!  
  
"Are we going on a stakeout?" Asked Launchpad.  
  
"That we are, LP. To the Thunderquack!" Launchpad eagerly ran off, while Darkwing stayed behind for a moment. Darkwing took one last look around his tower. "Now," he said to no one in particular, "lets get dangerous..."  
  
---------------  
  
Western Saint Canard... Evening... In a not so abandoned alley...  
  
Joey Matthews was standing in the center of the alley, and was being flocked by other members of the Grey gang. "Yo! Everybody chill and listen up!" Joey paused while the chatter died away. "That's bettah. Here's how it went down: I found to the guy, talked with him, and got the help we need."  
  
One of the other members spoke up. "So where is this 'help' then?"  
  
Joey cast a stern glance at the speaker. "This is gonna sound stupid," Joey pulled out the vial, "but its right here! This guy must have some real dirt on the Liquidator, cause Liquie is doin' his grunt work."  
  
"Are you sayin' the Liquidator is in that tube?"  
  
"That's exactly what I'm sayin'! Whenever we need help, we just pour Liquie out, and tell him what we want done! Afterwards, The blue guy goes right back into the bottle."  
  
"So how long does Liquie stay with us?" This last question was asked by Rachael, one of the gang's more level headed members.  
  
Joey replied with a thoughtful expression on his face. "That's the odd thing... You'd think the boss would want his goon back as soon as possible, so he could hire him out again. But this guy said we could keep Liquie as long as we wanted...  
  
"But enough about that! We've got what we need, and that's what matters! Earlier today, the Angels took out one our stashes, so it looks like they're gonna keep up the heat. You guys go out and keep watch on the rest of our stashes. The moment any Angels show up, call me..." Joey put the tube back in his pocket. "...And I'll take care of them. Now move out!"  
  
---------------  
  
Joey was just getting to his car when Rachael caught up with him. "Hey Joey, you got a minute?"  
  
"For you Rach, I got all the time in the world." Joey opened the door for Rachael. "I'm headed off for a bite. Hop in. We'll talk on the way."  
  
Rachael got into the car, and they took off. A moment later, Rachael spoke up. "All right Joey, I saw that look in your eyes back there. What didn't you tell them?"  
  
"That's what I like about you Rach... You're always watching, always thinking...." Joey smiled to himself as he continued driving. "What I didn't say back there is that you don't just pour Liquidator out of the tube. You do that and you just get a puddle of water.  
  
"To get Liquie to work, you gotta add some of this." Joey pulled the second tube out of his pocket and handed it to Rachael. "The guy I talked to called it 'Deuterium.' Looks like water to me..."  
  
"That's 'cause it is water," replied Rachael. "Deuterium is the name for a Hydrogen molecule that has a neutron in its nucleus. The guy must have meant that this water has more--"  
  
"Gah, shut up Rach! You know I don't know jack about science, so spare me the explanation!" Rachael sullenly handed the tube back to Joey. "Hey, sorry babe, but I just don't care... Anyway, we add the Deuterium to the first tube, and Liquie pops up. The more Deuterium we add, the more powerfully he is. I guess Liquie runs on the stuff or something... Basically, the Liquidator works for us until we run out of the stuff. When it's gone, I guess he just leaves."  
  
Rachael sat silently while she thought about what Joey had said. At length, Joey spoke up again. "Yo, Rach... Suppose we got our hands on some more of this Deuterium. D'y'think we could keep Liquidator forever?"  
  
"Maybe, Joey..." Rachael spoke slowly, thinking things over. "But Deuterium is really scarce stuff. It's used for nuclear stuff, and not much else. 'Sides that, it's real hard to concentrate it. It would take some heavy duty processing plant. I don't think we got anything that big in Saint Canard."  
  
"Ah, well. It was just an idea..."  
  
"One other thing Joey. Earlier, you were positive that the Angels brought in outside help to trash Mark's place. Could they have gone to the same guy you did? Do they have..." Rachael broke off, trying to find the right words.  
  
"Calm down, Rach," soothed Joey. "I may have worried about that earlier, but not now. This guy does not rent economy thugs. There's no way the Angels could cough up enough dough to pay this guy. Their help came from somewhere else."  
  
"So... This really set you back, huh."  
  
"Ooooh yeah..." Joey sank into his seat as he recalled the cost.  
  
"You gonna be okay, then?"  
  
Joey perked up and cast a sly glance at Rachael. "If I say no, will you pay for dinner?"  
  
Rachael just shook her head and sighed.  
  
---------------  
  
Western Saint Canard... In an alley just outside Grey territory...  
  
Angela Redwing was the founder of the Angel gang. Since their creation, the Angels had been upstarts, forced to fight for what little territory they had. They were always being pushed around by the larger, more established gangs.  
  
"...Like the Greys. But that all ends tonight!" Angela tightened her grip on the tube she was holding. "After tonight, everything changes. Joey will be gone, and the rest of the Greys will be running around with their heads cut off. They'll be ripe for the picking..."  
  
At that moment, Angela's scout pulled into the alley. He quickly jumped off his motorcycle and ran up to Angela. "It's all clear," he reported. "I spotted all their patrols, but they're all at the boarder. There ain't nobody guardin' the Grey-Mart!"  
  
"So the place is abandoned?"  
  
The scout smiled maliciously. "I didn't say that. There's Greys all over the place, but none of them are on guard! They don't suspect nothin'!"  
  
"Good! Then its all set." Angela stuck the tube back in her pocket and rushed to her bike. "Now remember the plan. I go in alone. And nobody attacks until the Greys start panicking. Once they do, hit 'em hard!"  
  
With that, Angela gunned the motor, and sped out of the alley.  
  
---------------  
  
High above the Saint Canard skyline, the Thunderquack cruised through the sky. From the cockpit, Darkwing looked down upon the city. As the Thunderquack circled over the Grey boarder, Darkwing watched for any large explosions, floods, or other events that might indicate the Liquidator's presence. Intent on his search, Darkwing paid no heed to a lone motorcycle driving strait into the heart of Grey territory...  
  
---------------  
  
Joey set down his order and glanced across the booth towards Rachael. "Sure you don't want some fries? I got plenty, so sharing's no problem..."  
  
"I'm fine, Joey. Really." Rachael sat back and took a sip of her soda.  
  
Joey shook his head. "Ya go to Hamburger Hippo and you don't get a hamburger OR fries... Sometimes I wonder about you Rach."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. So, did'ja catch the game last night?"  
  
"Nope. I was too busy--" Joey was interrupted by his cel-phone ringing. "Hold up." Joey put the phone up to his head. "Yo, make it quick, I'm on a date."  
  
"This is not a date!" Cried Rachael.  
  
Joey cast a sly glance at Rachael. However, his expression changed once he heard what the caller was saying. "What? Redwing's headed to the... You can't be serious! ...Okay, I'll get there as quick as I can. In the meantime, keep an eye on the boarder. This may just be a diversion. Now get movin'!"  
  
Joey promptly got up and headed to the door. Rachael hurried to catch up. In a concerned tone she asked "Yo Joey, what's goin' on?"  
  
"Trouble," was the only response Joey gave.  
  
---------------  
  
In olden days, Lords commanded their own personal armies and resided in large Keeps. When not in battle, the Lord and his vassals would gather in great halls and have feasts and celebrations. However, in modern times, the closest anyone could get to being a 'Lord' was to be a gang leader. And gangs never feasted in great halls. They hung out at strip malls...  
  
The Riverside Strip Mall was located in the heart of Grey territory. It was also the unofficial headquarters of the Grey gang. Almost all important meetings took place there. Many of the employees were Grey members and several of the owners were former Grey members. Because of its association with the Grey gang, the place was often refered to as the 'Grey Mart.'  
  
Angela Redwing was on top of a parking garage two blocks away from the Mall. It was an old parking garage, that had been abandoned for several years. From here, Angela could safely watch the mall without being seen herself. With her eyes glistening, she pulled a tube out of her pocket, uncorked it and poured its contents onto the ground. Angela pulled out a second tube, which was only a third of the way full. Again, she uncorked the tube and poured it onto the first one.  
  
Angela smiled grimly as the Liquidator rose up from the puddle. He casually glanced at Angela and asked, "You rang?"  
  
"Yes." Angela's voice was quivering with anticipation. "Over there is the Riverside Strip Mall. I want you to destroy it. Level it to the ground! Don't spare anything!" By this time, Angela was grinning maniacally. "And if anyone tries to stop you, wipe them out!"  
  
Liquidator bowed dramatically. "Your wish is my command." He calmly walked to the edge of the garage and jumped off. As he cascaded down to the ground, his watery voice floated up, "Consider it done..."  
  
Still grinning maniacally, Angela gazed down the street at the Mall. Moments later, a geyser of water shot up from the center of the mall. Pandemonium ensued soon after. Watching the carnage unfold, she never noticed a gray car pulling up to the mall, or the Thunderquack circling overhead.  
  
---------------  
  
Joey's car skidded to a stop in front of the Riverside Mall. Joey hurriedly exited the car and raced toward the building, heedless of the hoards of people leaving the building.  
  
"Joey! Hey Joey! Wait up!" Rachael tried to follow Joey, but got caught in a mob of fleeing people. After fighting her way out of the mob, Rachael paused by a bench to catch her breath. "Figures. He's always rushing in without thinking," she muttered.   
  
As she stood there panting, she took a look around the strip mall. Aside from the panicking people, most of the mall looked normal. Then her gaze shifted to the central complex. The entire facade of the building and been ripped off. Beyond the entrance lay nothing but wreckage.   
  
"The Angels have got to behind this! I don't know how, but I know they are..." Rachael cautiously began moving towards the central building. "Man, it looks like a title wave went through there... But how could that have happened? I mean, the Liquidator works for us..."  
  
Suddenly, a geyser shot up from one of the buildings adjacent to the wrecked one. Instinctively, Rachael dove for cover behind a nearby piece of sculpture. "And to think I used to hate these things," she muttered as debris rained down on the sculpture.  
  
When the debris stopped falling, Rachael got up and looked around to see if anyone had been hurt. Fortunately, by this time most people had cleared the area. However, as she scanned the scene, something caught Rachael's eye. Looking closer into the dark, Rachael thought she could see a speck of light against the black background.  
  
"Where's that coming from? It looks like its from the old parking garage. But that place has been closed for years. Why would anyone be..." Rachael trailed off, momentarily lost in thought. Then it hit her. "Someone's watching us! Someone knew this was going to happen! Someone... Might have planed this... The Angels!"  
  
Forgetting about everything else, Rachael raced off to the abandoned parking garage.  
  
---------------  
  
To be continued...  
  



	2. Cry havok, and let slip the Waterdogs of...

  
Shades of Grey  
Continued...  
  
---------------  
  
Frantically, Joey raced through the wreckage. 'This can't be happening,' he thought. 'This is our base! Nobody should be able to do this! Not to us! Not here...'  
  
Suddenly, he heard the sound of glass shattering. Joey skidded to a stop and quickly looked around for the source of the sound. Almost immediately he spotted a gaping hole in the wall. "Just through there..." Grimly, Joey pulled out his gun. "Whoever's responsible for this is about to get a very rude awakening...."  
  
Joey dove through the hole and rolled to a crouch. There was only one other person in the room, and he was standing next to a shattered wall of glass. Without hesitating, Joey leveled his gun and fired off several rounds into the figure.   
  
Slowly, the figure turned to face Joey. "Defective weapons got you down? Tired of bullets that just don't seem to work?" Joey gaped in astonishment as he realized who the speaker was. "Well then... Tough luck!"  
  
"But-- But-- You work for me now! How is this... How are you..." Joey began staggering back away from the Liquidator. Finally, he got out a coherent question. "What's going on here?!"  
  
"Inquiring minds want to know..." Mocked the Liquidator. "I should tell you, inquiring minds really piss me off!"  
  
Joey's nerve failed him and he bolted away. The Liquidator began laughing menacingly, making no overt move to stop Joey. As Joey ran, a rumbling sound filled the building. Suddenly, the ground beneath Joey crumbled and gave way. Before he could stumble, water began shooting up through the holes. Joey let out one last scream of terror before he was engulfed in the geyser.  
  
The geyser died down as Liquidator approached. He took a moment to survey the wreckage before nodding his approval. "Whomever you were, you may now consider yourself 'wiped out.' Now, what store should I destroy next? Survey says..." Liquidator trailed off as he heard the loud whine of a jet engine. "This bodes ill..."  
  
Suddenly, an explosion wracked the far wall of the building. Liquidator turned just in time to see the Thunderquack crash right through him. The Liquidator was torn apart, while the Thunderquack continued through the next wall before coming to a stop.  
  
Slowly, Liquidator began to reform himself. "Oy... Experts agree, being hit by a jet hurts..." Still only half re-formed, Liquidator tried to look around. Liquidator spotted the Thunderquack and started to move towards it. However, halfway there he almost lost cohesion, and had to take a moment to steady himself. "I do not feel well. I may need to..."  
  
Liquidator's concentration was broken when a purple smoke cloud appeared near the Thunderquack. "I am the terror, that flaps in the night! I am the Deux Ex Machina, that foils your perfect scheme! I... Am DARKWING DUCK!" Darkwing triumphantly stepped out of the cloud. "Hiya, Liquie. Did'ja miss me?"  
  
"Not in the least duck!" With that, a still partially re-formed Liquidator lunged at Darkwing. And missed completely. Darkwing smirked as he watched Liquidator slam into the wall next to him. Liquidator slowly got up, even shakier than he was before.  
  
"You did miss me!" Beamed Darkwing. Liquidator rushed him again, but Darkwing easily sidestepped out of the way. Liquidator turned and threw several wild punches at Darkwing, none of which connected. This amused Darkwing to no end. "Be honest with me Liquie. You just crawled out of the bottle for this fight, didn't you?"  
  
"Shut up!" Yelled the Liquidator. The combination of Darkwing's taunts and his own inability to even see straight was making the Liquidator very angry. Howling in frustration, he charged Darkwing. However, Liquidator's cohesion gave out, and he 'tripped' and collapsed into a puddle. At the sight of this, Darkwing started laughing out loud.   
  
Frantically, Liquidator tried to reform himself. "No," he gasped. "No! I'm-- I'm disincorporating! I can barely even stand up!" Even as he said this, Liquidator collapsed again. This only made Darkwing laugh even harder.  
  
Liquidator tried to reform himself again, but could only make it up to his torso. Desperately, he called out. "Darkwing! Please, you've got to help me! I've-- I've--"  
  
"Fallen and you can't get up? Don't worry Liquie. I'll give you a hand." Darkwing grinned mockingly and extended his hand in a token offering of help.  
  
Suddenly, some movement in the background caught Darkwing's eye. He glanced up and saw a column of water shooting straight at him. The Liquidator was consumed by the blast before Darkwing could even react. He only had time to let out a muffled scream before the water slammed him into the wall.  
  
---------------  
  
"That was not part of the plan..." From her perch on the parking garage, Angela Redwing stared at the mall. She had had watched as the Thunderquack crashed into the mall. But that was several minutes ago, and she hadn't seen anything since. Now Angela was worried that she might be watching her plans fall apart.  
  
"Darkwing Duck... It just had to be Darkwing Duck. The only one in town who could stop this, and he just has to show up..." Angela thought for a moment. "Liquidator don't stand much of chance. Darkwing's gonna stop him, and find out who he's workin' for. Then he'll come after me... I gotta get outa here!"  
  
"More than you realize, sister!" Angela whirled around to find herself staring face to face with Rachael. "Now really Redwing, did you honestly think you could get away with this? That we wouldn't find you?"  
  
Forgetting her earlier concerns, Angela walked up to Rachael. "Actually, it really doesn't matter how much you know. 'Cuase its already too late to save your gang. The Greys are finished!" Angela paused, while Rachael continued to glare at her. "And if you don't show some respect and get out of my face, you'll be finished too." Rachael didn't move. "Have it your way..."  
  
Angela reared back to punch Rachael. However, Rachael ducked, grabbed Angela's arm, and threw her over her shoulder. Angela landed hard, but quickly got back to her feet. Angela moved in for another attack, but a few swift kicks drove her back into a defensive position.  
  
Rachael decided to press her advantage and charged. Angela saw what was coming and jumped to one side. However, Angela jumped away too soon, as Rachael hadn't yet committed herself to her attack. Rachael did a quick sidestep and leapt at Angela, hitting her with a flying roundhouse kick. Angela fell to the ground and made no attempt to get up.  
  
"So this is the 'mighty' Angela Redwing," mocked Rachael. "Pathetic..." Rachael kicked the fallen Angela. Angela doubled over in pain, but at the same time, grabbed the led that had just kicked her. Before Rachael knew what was happening, Angela kicked her other leg out from under her. Rachael fell back, her head cracking on the pavement.  
  
Angela was instantly on her feet, while Rachael struggled to even sit up. Angela leapt over to Rachael and delivered a swift punch to her head. Rachael fell back down, and Angela rushed on to her motorcycle. Angela started the engine and sped off before Rachael even got to her feet.  
  
Angela's bike raced through the corridors of the parking garage, and her thoughts raced just as quickly through her situation. Darkwing Duck had figured out what was going on, or he would very soon. The Greys also knew what was going on. Both would come after her. And worst of all, her ace up her sleeve, the Liquidator, had most likely been defeated.  
  
By the time she left the parking garage, Angela had reached one undeniable conclusion. "I need help..."  
  
---------------  
  
"He just ruined my best hat," muttered Darkwing as he dragged himself to his feet. "All right Liquie, you're going to pay for that! Nobody drenches Darkwing Duck and gets aw-- Auuuuguuh!" Darkwing's threat was cut off by another blast of water. Darkwing got back up sputtering.  
  
"The Surgeon General warns that taking Liquidator Brand Mouthwash in large doses could be hazardous to your health." Liquidator reached out his arm and sent another blast of water at Darkwing. "Boy, talk about stating the obvious..."  
  
Darkwing dove to the side avoiding the blast. Liquidator quickly launched a second blast, catching Darkwing before he could dodge it. Darkwing was panting hard, and decided he needed a breather. Fortunately, he knew just how to buy time against the Liquidator: idle banter. "Well, you sure perked up quickly. Did you find a can of Jolt, or what?"   
  
Liquidator smirked confidently. "Really, Darkwing, you me better than that. Would I ever use anything that didn't bear the Liquidator brand name?" Liquidator finished his statement by launching another token attack at Darkwing, which was easily avoided.  
  
'That's it Liquie, just keep yapping,' thought Darkwing. 'Don't pay any attention to what I'm doing.' While Liquidator had been talking, Darkwing had begun discretely changing the cartridge in his gas gun. To keep Liquidator preoccupied, Darkwing continued the banter. "Well, there was that once incident at the jello factory a few years back... Or did you mean besides that?"  
  
Much to Darkwing's surprise, it was not Liquidator who answered him. "Liquidator, stop fooling around! Finish him!" Darkwing whirled to face the speaker, who turned out to be a young duck in a leather jacket and gray bandanna. The speaker was also soaking wet, and more than a little ruffled.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Muttered the Liquidator. Before Darkwing could react, he was driven into the wall by a blast of water. A second blast caused the wall to collapse, completely burying Darkwing.  
  
Liquidator turned to Joey and bowed. "Viola, monsieur. Your 'Canard a la Rubble' is finished."  
  
"Whatever," muttered Joey. He was still sore from his encounter with the first Liquidator, and was in no mood for flippant remarks. Plus, he still hadn't quite figured out how there could have been a 'first Liquidator.' "Just keep quiet while I try and figure out what's going on..."  
  
Silence fell over the mall for a moment. Abruptly, Joey's cel-phone began ringing. "Now how'd that thing survive?" Liquidator opened his mouth to say something, but a stern glance from Joey kept him quiet.  
  
"What'da'ya want?' Demanded Joey into his phone. "Yeah Rach, I'm in the mall. Yeah, I'm fine. Yeah... Really..." There was a long pause as Joey listened to his phone. As he listened, his face hardened into a scowl. "So Redwing is behind this... Listen Rach, I'll call you back. I've got a hunch I need to follow..." Ignoring Rachael's protests, Joey folded his phone and stuck it back in his pocket.  
  
Stoically, Joey began walking out of the building. "C'mon, Liquie. We're outa here." Obediently Liquidator followed. "And don't start with the wisecracks. I've got a headache..."  
  
Once again, silence fell over the building.  
  
This time, it was broken by a very uneasy Launchpad. "Uh, DW... You still here, DW?" Launchpad nervously walked across the wreckage. "You all right, DW?" Launchpad heard some mumbling coming from a pile of rubble. He hurried over to the source of the sound and began pushing away the wreckage.  
  
"Launchpad, I thought I told you to stay in the Thunderquack." Darkwing's voice was still very muffled and distorted, but it was undeniably his.  
  
"Well, yeah," replied Launchpad as he continued to dig. "Its just that things seemed a little quiet out here, and I figured you might need some help handling things."  
  
Darkwing's beak was unearthed, but that was it. "I assure you Launchpad, I have things completely under control."  
  
"Right..." Launchpad rolled his eyes as he continued digging out Darkwing.  
  
---------------  
  
Saint Canard business district... Nighttime...   
  
Angela Redwing's motorcycle screeched to a halt in front of a run down store. Angela leapt off the bike and dashed into the store, letting the bike collapse onto the ground. Only when she was safely inside did she pause to catch her breath.  
  
After she left the parking garage, Angela had headed straight for this building. However, while on her way, Angela ran into some trouble. The Grey gang was more disciplined than Angela had anticipated, and had not panicked when she attacked their headquarters. Quite the opposite, in fact. They had become more serious. More brutal.  
  
During her flight, Angela ran across a pack of Greys routing her Angels. Two of the Greys had tried to come after her. Angela had lost valuable time loosing them. Even now, she still felt as if she had been followed.  
  
"All the more reason to do this now," she mumbled. Trying to calm herself, Angela walked up to the desk and rang the bell that was on it. For several moments, nothing happened. "Come on..." Angela rang the bell again, becoming quite agitated. Again, nothing happened. Angela started pounding on the bell. Still no reaction.  
  
Angela slammed her fists into the desk in frustration. She glared at the bell as she tried to rein in her temper. Slowly, her gaze shifted to the sign next to the bell. The sign read 'Closed. Please come back later.'  
  
"Like heck I will," muttered Angela. Angrily, she hopped over the counter and over to the door. Angela checked the door, and found that it was locked. "Easy to fix..." Angela pulled out her gun and shot the lock. Because she was still angry, she then kicked in the door.  
  
As the walked through the doorway, Angela found herself looking at a vast array of shelves, chemical vats, and machinery. "Whoa..." In spite of herself, Angela was impressed.  
  
While Angela was gawking, a shadowy figure in a trenchcoat and fedora walked into view. The figure cast a disdainful glance at Angela. "Perhaps my message wasn't clear enough for you, so let me put it in simpler terms: Go away."  
  
Angela was startled by the figure's sudden appearance, but quickly regained her composure. "I would, but I'm kind of pressed for time. I need to talk to you now!"  
  
"Indeed," said the figure, harshly.  
  
"Yeah. I ran into some trouble. I need one of your thugs again."  
  
The figure's voice lost its edge. "Ah, I see. I believe we might be able to work something out. I don't have one ready at the moment, but it shouldn't take too long to get one ready." Abruptly, the voice hardened again. "But first... Show me the money!"  
  
"Now?!" Angela was taken aback. "But... Last time--"  
  
"Last time, you didn't barge in here after business hours. And you didn't ruin my door. So I'll say it again. Pay up front, or get out."  
  
Angela was becoming quite unnerved. "But, I don't have anything with me right now! Can't we--"  
  
The figure turned and walked away from Angela. "Sorry. no money, no deal."  
  
"You... You can't just walk away from me!" Yelled Angela.  
  
"Watch me."  
  
Furious now, Angela screamed at the departing figure. "Nobody walks away from Angela Redwing! Nobody!" With that, Angela whipped out her gun, and shot the figure in the back.  
  
As the bullet ripped through him, the figure paused. He sighed, and in a very exasperated tone said "Now, you've made me mad..."  
  
---------------  
  
Outside...  
  
There was a loud scraping sound as Joey's car slid into his parking space. As he got out of his car, Joey smiled with grim satisfaction at the state of the motorcycle he just ran over.  
  
Liquidator got out of the car and examined the wreckage. Then he glanced up at an imaginary sign above the cycle. "Warning, no parking after dark. Violators will be crushed at owner's expense." He glanced at Joey. "I guess she should have paid more attention to the signs."  
  
"Yeah. Lets go in. You remember what to do?"  
  
"Of course. You need only give the word..."  
  
"Good."  
  
Silently, the duo entered the building.  
  
---------------  
  
Above...  
  
From the cockpit of the Thunderquack, Darkwing gazed down at the streets below. "Okay Launchpad, they've stopped. I'm going in."  
  
"Wha'd'ya want me to do DW?"  
  
Darkwing glanced back at his sidekick. "Stay up here LP. Fly a holding pattern around that building." Darkwing pointed down at the building below them. "And watch for anyone trying to get away. If anyone leaves, follow them. Especially that guy in the gray car..."  
  
"Sure thing. Good luck DW!"  
  
"Thanks, LP, thanks. Open the hatch." Launchpad complied, and the canopy of the cockpit opened up. "Goiiiiiiing down." With that, Darkwing leapt out into the night.  
  
---------------  
  
Inside...  
  
With panic in her eyes, Angela began backing into a corner. "No! It... You can't... It isn't possible!"  
  
The advancing figure paused. "Now, without knowing exactly what is it your talking about, since you haven't actually specified anything, I'd hazard a guess and say it IS possible." The figure let out a mocking chuckle. "Have you always had such a hard time excepting reality?"  
  
"Actually..." Both Angela and the figure whirled to face Joey, who was standing in the broken door frame. "Miss Redwing has always lived her own little fantasy world. Drop the gun, Angel."  
  
Realizing she was outnumbered, Angela dejectedly tossed down her gun.  
  
"Smart girl..." The figure moved forward to retrieve the gun. However, before he could reach it, a bullet struck the barrel of the gun, sending it skidding across the ground. The figure whirled to face Joey again, but this time found himself staring down the barrel of Joey's pistol.  
  
"Don't think you're getting off easy either," growled Joey. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? That I wouldn't notice the Angels were using the same 'muscle' as I was?" Joey didn't give the figure time to answer. "Well, I did. Let me tell ya, I don't take kindly to double dealers." Joey raised his gun. "Any last words?"  
  
The figure stood his ground and stared back at Joey. "Go ahead. Make my day..."  
  
"Certainly." Joey pulled the trigger.  
  
The sound of shattering glass suddenly filled the warehouse. Reflexively, Joey, Angela, and the figure looked up to find the source of the sound. What they saw was a billowing ball of smoke falling straight down through the skylight. The smoke ball hit the ground and mushroomed out, quickly engulfing the whole enclosure in purple smoke. And out of the smoke, came a voice...  
  
"I am the terror, that flaps in the night..."  
  
"Never thought I'd be glad to hear that phrase," muttered Angela as she slunk back against the wall.  
  
"I am the lightning, that strikes from the blue!"  
  
The figure glanced around in annoyance. "I do not need this..."  
  
"I... Am DARKWING DUCK!"  
  
"And you're supposed to be dead!" Furious, Joey began firing randomly into the smoke.  
  
"Be careful where your shooting." Joey turned around to see the figure appear out of the smoke. "I've got some very delicate machinery in here."  
  
"You're supposed to be dead too!" Joey raised his gun and shot the figure in the face.  
  
The figure winced as the bullet passed through him. "You know, that is becoming quite annoying..."  
  
"Aw, blast it," muttered Joey. "I was afraid of that..."  
  
"If you can't play nice with your toys, you'll loose them." As he said this, the figure's arm morphed into a tentacle. The tentacle quickly lashed out and snatched the gun from Joey's hand. "Get my drift?" The figure grinned menacingly. "So now its my turn to say it. Any last words?"  
  
Joey smiled in a cocky manner. "Just two. Flood it!"  
  
Before the figure could react, the ground beneath him crumbled, giving way to a geyser. The gun flew from his hand as he was completely immersed in the column of water.  
  
---------------  
  
Elsewhere in the building...  
  
As the smoke cleared, Angela found herself crouching next to a shelf of vials. She glanced at the labels of the vials. An evil grin came over her face.  
  
---------------  
  
"That's enough, Liquie!"  
  
The geyser abruptly died down. As the last of the smoke cleared away, the Liquidator could be seen standing where the geyser had been. He raised his hands, ready to accept the adulation of an imaginary crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen... The Liquidator has arrived!"  
  
"...And is about to leave!" Liquidator turned to the face the speaker, but instead found himself looking at a cartridge flying straight at him, trailing smoke. Instinctively he dove away. When he looked up again, he saw Darkwing Duck standing triumphantly, holding his gas gun. "Oh, and Liquie, you out-did my entrance. You're going down. And its going to hurt."  
  
"Wanna bet, Deadwing?!"  
  
Darkwing cast a sideways glance at Joey. "'Deadwing?' That's a new one..."  
  
"Remember the odds Darkwing." Liquidator was preparing himself for another attack. "Two-to-one. While those may be good in Vegas, its not something most people like in a fight." Liquidator launched a blast of water at Darkwing.  
  
However, halfway to its target, the blast was intercepted by another blast of water. Joey saw this and was infuriated. "Liquidator! What was that about?!"  
  
Liquidator looked at Joey with a shocked expression on his face. "That wasn't me!"  
  
"Then who--"  
  
Joey was interrupted by a voice from above. "That would've been my doing." Joey looked up at the hole in the roof. Silhouetted against the dimly lit night sky, he saw the outline of a figure. The figure seemed to disappear, and black water cascaded through the hole. On the ground, the water condensed itself into the black, yet unmistakable form of the Liquidator.  
  
Darkwing shook his head dejectedly. "Why must everyone try to outdo my entrances?"  
  
The black Liquidator stared angrily at his blue counterpart. For his part, the blue Liquidator seemed quite unnerved. He cast an uneasy glance at Joey, hoping for some instructions.   
  
Instructions he got. "You're full power. Take 'im out!" Joey's voice was confidant, yet the look on his face was anything but. "Wipe 'im out! Just like you did the Angel's Liquie!" This seemed to boost the confidence of the blue Liquidator, who returned his attention to the black Liquidator.  
  
This seemed to amuse the black Liquidator. "'Full power?' Meaning what? A full tube of Deuterium?" The blue Liquidator and Joey exchanged worried glances. "Fools... Allow me to show you the TRUE meaning of full power!"  
  
Joey backed away slowly as the black Liquidator seemed to bulk up. Suddenly, several tentacles of water shot away from him, aiming strait for the blue Liquidator. The blue Liquidator managed to destroy some of the tentacles with blasts of water, but several tentacles made it through his defenses and began batting him around. The problem was compounded when the black Liquidator began launching some water blast of his own.  
  
The blue Liquidator was overwhelmed and was forced to fall back. He slowly worked his way backwards, while still trying to fight off his attacker. All too soon, he ran out of room. Backed into a corner between a large vat and some heavy machinery, the blue Liquidator prepared to make his final stand.  
  
---------------  
  
"Come on, Liquie! Take 'im out!" With a concerned look on his face, Joey watched the fight between the two Liquidators unfold. To Joey's great distress, the blue Liquidator, his Liquidator, seemed to be loosing. Nonetheless, Joey kept yelling out encouragement.  
  
Forgotten, Darkwing stood off to the side regarding the scene. "This is quickly becoming my oddest case in quite some time..." Darkwing glanced at Joey. "Now, the question is, should I question this loon now, or after this whole fiasco is over with?"  
  
Joey continued yelling. "Move it Liquie! Don't just stand there and-- Redwing?! What's she still doing here?" Seeing his rival, Joey instinctively reached for his gun. Unfortunately, he had already lost his gun, and found his holster empty. "Crud! All right, plan B!" Joey was about to take off running when blow to the back of his head caused him to collapse.  
  
Darkwing stepped over the now unconscious Joey. "After the fiasco it is." Darkwing glanced over to the dueling Liquidators. A young duck, assumably the 'Redwing' character that Joey had mentioned, was running towards them. "Maybe that kind soul will enlighten me as to what is going on around here." With a calmness, and sarcasm, not normally shown during battles, Darkwing strode over to join the fight.  
  
---------------  
  
Backed into a corner, the blue Liquidator fought for all he was worth. With a suddenly flurry of offense, he began driving his opponent back. "He slices." Liquidator obliterated one of the attacking tentacles. "He dices." The blue Liquidator launched at water blast at his counterparts chest, catching him by surprise. "He even comes in designer colors." The blue Liquidator smirked proudly. "What more could you ask for?"  
  
"A mute option." The black Liquidator's humor seemed to have left him. "And a self destruct button."  
  
"When you're selling fire, you're liable to get burned." The blue Liquidator smirked as he continued his counterattack. " Ever heard of Ceavet Emptor? Let the seller be ware?"  
  
"That's 'let the buyer beware' you imbecile. The BUYER!" The black Liquidator sighed disgustedly. "Obviously, my cloning procedure needs some kinks worked out. And for the record, fire is the last of my worries."  
  
"Then allow me to introduce you to the first." There was a pause in the action as both Liquidators turned to look at Angela Redwing. Despite have been recently roughed up, Angela looked very calm as she stared down the two Liquidators.  
  
The black Liquidator sighed again. "Miss Redwing, haven't we already gone through this? You are hardly a threat to me."  
  
Angela smirked. "To be more precise, allow me to introduce you the first, second, and third of your worries." As she said this, Angela pulled several vials out of her jacket, and poured them on the floor in front of her. Three watery forms rose up, and condensed themselves into three identical, green, Liquidators.  
  
The black Liquidator sighed again. The blue Liquidator seemed even more amused than before. "Behold! The Liquidator... In Technicolor!"  
  
"Liquidators!" Wordlessly, the three green Liquidators faced Angela as she addressed them. "Attack and destroy the blue and black Liquidators! And anyone else who tries to stop you!"  
  
Despite the forcefulness of her orders, the Liquidators remained motionless. Two of them just stared at Angela, while the third cocked his head and looked at his two companions.  
  
"Well?! Get moving!" Angela wasn't sure how to react to their lack of reaction. "I gave you an order! Attack them!"  
  
The black Liquidator stepped forward and began speaking in his most condescending tone. "Miss Redwing, do you remember what I said when you first came here? About 'not having anything ready at the moment?' Did you think I was lying to you?"  
  
Angela still wasn't sure how to handle the situation. "What are you saying?"  
  
"The three vials you obvious stole from the shelves are not completed Liquidators. They still require several key ingredients before they are fully functional. They can't do anything more complex than blinking."  
  
The blue Liquidator interrupted. "The Liquidator is NOT an over the counter thug."  
  
The black Liquidator scowled at his blue counterpart, then resumed. "The green color would have told most people that something was amiss, but I suppose that sort of subtle symbolism is lost on someone such as yourself... Now, Miss Redwing, this is the second time you've interrupted me tonight. I'm afraid you'll have to be punished for that."  
  
Angela began slowly backing away in fear. "No... You.. You wouldn't..."  
  
"Besides, your constant stuttering is really getting on my nerves." At this, Angela turned tail and ran. The black Liquidator launched a series of water blasts after her. The first blast slammed into an unfortunate green Liquidator who was in the way. A second blast knocked him out of the way. The third blast hit its intended target, knocking Angela out cold.  
  
The blue Liquidator couldn't help but comment "Nice Shot."  
  
"Why, thank you." Oddly enough, the black Liquidator actually seemed to appreciate the compliment. "Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?" A low rumbling filled the building, and was soon followed by a geyser erupting where the blue Liquidator was standing. The black Liquidator smirked sarcastically. "Aw, now I remember."  
  
After a moment, the black Liquidator extended his hands in a dramatic gesture. In response, the geyser split itself into two prongs. Between the two prongs was a very pained blue Liquidator. "Had enough yet?" The black Liquidator queried.  
  
Though he was struggling to keep his cohesion, the blue Liquidator's response was forceful and definite. "Not by a long shot!"  
  
"Suit yourself." The black Liquidator dropped his arms, and the two prongs slammed back together.  
  
At the same time, the black Liquidator felt something slam into his back. He looked down and saw that the object, a gas cartridge to be exact, had lodged itself into his body. As he watched, the cartridge began releasing its gas. The effect was somewhat unsettling.  
  
"And that, my friend, is what you get for ignoring the hero." Liquidator whirled to face Darkwing. Now knowing he had Liquidator's attention, Darkwing continued his little tirade. "Yeah, remember me? That 'annoying purple clad duck that always foils your schemes?' The person who you're supposed to pay attention to during a fight? The person your SUPPOSED to fight? Any of this ring a bell?"  
  
The Liquidator snarled fiercely. "Yes, it does Darkwing. And now I'M going to ring YOUR bell!" As he said this, several tentacles grew out of Liquidator's back and lashed out toward Darkwing. Darkwing evaded the attacks, but not with ease. Liquidator stepped up the attack by launching a series of water blasts at Darkwing. As Liquidator's attention became entirely devoted to the fight with Darkwing, the geyser weakened, then disappeared entirely, leaving behind a battered and bruised blue Liquidator.  
  
Meanwhile, Darkwing was becoming overwhelmed. As he evaded one of the tentacles, a water blast struck him in the chest, sending him sprawling across the floor. Even as he was tumbling backward, Darkwing's mind was racing. He hadn't expected Liquidator's counterattack to be so sudden or forceful. Darkwing needed something to slow down the fight. Fortunately, he had just the thing for the job.  
  
As Darkwing regained his footing, he held his arms out towards his opponent. "Hey, Liquie... Here's mud in your eyes!" Suddenly, small jets of purple gas shot out from Darkwing's arms, quickly obscuring him from sight.. "Or more precisely, here's SMOKE in your eyes!" Over the years, Darkwing had developed many useful gadgets. One his more recent acquisitions was a pair of miniature gas dispensers that were stored in his sleeves. A very helpful 'last chance' gadget, and much less hazardous than the old buzz-saw cufflinks.  
  
"Gah!" The Liquidator's tentacles slashed through the gas cloud, searching for Darkwing. "What are you Darkwing, a duck or an octopus?"  
  
Another smoke cloud appeared to the side of Liquidator. "Me? An octopus? Who's the one with the tentacles, Liquie?" In response, two tentacles lashed through the new cloud, hitting nothing.   
  
Meanwhile a third cloud formed on the opposite side of Liquidator. "And while I'm asking questions, what's with your new color? Did you get caught in an oil spill, or are you just going for the 'raven' look?"  
  
Liquidator growled in frustration. "That's it! I've had enough of this! Quote the raven..." Suddenly, innumerable tentacles shot out from Liquidator. "NEVERMORE!" The tentacles lashed out in all directions. Darkwing was struck by one and sent sprawling.  
  
However, almost as quickly as they had appeared, the tentacles retracted back into the Liquidator. As he got up, Darkwing saw that the Liquidator was bent over, clutching his chest. "Hmmp... 'Bout time that stuff kicked in..."  
  
At the sound of Darkwing's voice, Liquidator looked up. "Something... Something's wrong with me... What's going on? What have you done to me?" Liquidator's voice was pained and far more raspy than normal. Indeed, his entire complexion seemed to have changed in an instant.  
  
"Really, Liquie, I'm surprised you have to ask that." Darkwing smirked condescendingly. "Don't you remember getting hit with a gas cartridge about, oh, thirty seconds ago?"  
  
A look of understanding came over Liquidator's face. In the heat of battle, he had never expunged the cartridge from his body. "You mean..."  
  
"Yup. That particular cartridge was one of my 'special cartridges,' designed specifically for you. What you're feeling is a chemical reaction slowly solidifying your body. Once you're nice and immobile, you'll be placed in a warm, comfy, watertight prison cell." Darkwing chuckled. "But don't worry too much. The effect will wear off. In about twelve hours."  
  
Liquidator glanced around desperately. He could feel his powers slipping away from him. He was barely even controlling his own body. If he didn't escape immediately, he wouldn't get a second chance to try.  
  
Unfortunately, there was no way to escape. At least not in his current condition. Once he realized this, his gaze returned to Darkwing. "Well, Darkwing, it looks like I'm going down... But not before I take you with me!"  
  
Mustering all his strength, Liquidator lunged towards Darkwing. Darkwing wasn't expecting an attack, and was too slow to get out of the way. Liquidator tackled Darkwing, and the two both went sprawling. After a very brief scuffle, Darkwing found himself pinned to the ground by the Liquidator.  
  
In what seemed like an agonizingly slow process, Liquidator's right arm morphed into a tentacle. The tip of the tentacle then morphed into a spike. Liquidator reared his arm back, preparing to deliver the final blow. "Its over, Darkwing..."  
  
Suddenly, a pair of blue arms wrapped themselves around the spiked tentacle. In response, Liquidator whirled around and attempted to catch his assailant with a wild punch. However, the assailant ducked under the swing, and in turn threw Liquidator over his shoulder.   
  
Liquidator landed with a dull thud. He slowly got back upright and turned to face his attacker. His expression was one of complete shock as he saw Joey's blue Liquidator standing in front of him. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was the blue Liquidator releasing one last, massive water blast.  
  
The blue Liquidator stared at his fallen opponent, breathing heavily. His voice was labored, but nonetheless held a note of pride in it. "Once again... Victory... Belongs... To the Liquidator..." Liquidator raised his arm in a gesture of triumph, then slowly melted away, until he was nothing more than a puddle on the floor.  
  
---------------  
  
Later, Inside a Saint Canard prison facility...  
  
"...Would like me to relay his thanks for your help in this matter, Darkwing." The Warden was escorting Darkwing through the corridors of the prison. They had just left the main compound, where Angela Redwing and Joey Matthews were being held, and were entering the maximum security sector. "The Commissioner also wanted me to relay his apologies for not being able to tell you this in person. He had... Other business to attend to."  
  
Darkwing smirked. He knew, just as the Warden did, that the Commissioner didn't really have 'other business' to attend to. The Commissioner was just bitter that two of the city's most noteworthy gang leaders had been captured, and that the city police had nothing to do with the arrests.   
  
The Warden, however, had no such cares. All that concerned him was that he had a few more prisoners under his watch. One of those prisoners happened to be the reason he was leading Darkwing into the heart of his prison.  
  
At length, Darkwing and the Warden passed through the last checkpoint. "Well, here we are," said the Warden as he looked around the room. "Quite and interesting catch this time... Would you mind explaining how you managed to send me FOUR Liquidators?"  
  
"Certainly," said Darkwing. It had taken Darkwing a while to figure out the details of the case, but now that he had, he was eager to explain them to someone else.  
  
"To put it simply, Liquidator has found a way to clone himself. I don't know exactly how, nor is that really important. The fact remains, he can do it." Darkwing paused for emphasis. "...To a point. The clones aren't perfect replicas. For one, they seem to require Deuterium to live. Since Liquidator has never needed the stuff before, I can only conclude that Deuterium is necessary to help 'complete' the clones. Also, the clones have limited lifespans and recuperative abilities.  
  
"However, the clones do have one key trait: Liquidator's control over water. Because of this, the clones are nearly as powerful as Liquidator himself, and can easily pass themselves off as the original. Liquidator's scheme was to have his clones portray himself, as a mercenary, a 'thug for hire.'"  
  
"Huh..." The Warden grunted as he took in the information. "Makes sense. The clones do all the work, and the original keeps the money. And as long the real Liquidator keeps a low profile, and the clones never meet, nobody would suspect a thing." The Warden grunted again. "And if the clones don' last too long, they couldn't be tracked. By the time you got on one's trail, it would 'wear out,' leaving you with a dead end. Dang... Haven't seen a scheme that good in years..."  
  
Darkwing raised his eyebrow. Despite his gruff demeanor, the Warden did know a thing of two about crimefighting. "It was a good one, but it did have its flaws. For one, it required constant supervision by the original. Liquidator had to keep producing new clones, and then get the clones to whomever had 'hired' them. In addition, he had to make sure that the clones never met, or more importantly, that no one else knew there were two or more Liquidators.  
  
"And that's where he slipped up. Maybe it was an oversight, maybe he was getting greedy, or maybe he just didn't know where his clones would be used... But whatever the case was, Liquidator hired out two clones to two sides of a gang war. Things started getting noticed, people started realizing things, and Liquie's whole operation went down the tubes."  
  
"Basically, you got involved." Darkwing smiled at the compliment. The Warden continued. "So what happened to the two clones you mentioned? Are they two of the green Liquidators? Or is one of them that gray guy? Matthews was part of the Grey Gang, after all..."  
  
"Nope. Both clones were wiped out during the fighting. And the green Liquies are 'unfinished' clones."  
  
"So... Then who's the gray guy?"  
  
"The original," Darkwing replied. The Warden cocked his head in confusion. "As I already mentioned, the original Liquidator was in charge of the whole operation. He had to find potential customers, work with them, and ultimately supply them with a clone. But, at the same time, he also had to make sure they thought the clone was the real Liquidator. To do this, he wore a disguise. A black trenchcoat, black hat... And black dye!"  
  
"Of course..." Things were falling into place for the Warden. "With an outfit like that, he'd look like just another crime boss who didn't want to be seen.  
  
"Precisely," quipped Darkwing. "A veritable walking shadow. His current color is merely the result of some of the dye passing through his system. Pretty soon, the rest of the dye will wear away, and we'll have our old blue friend back."  
  
"Not that anyone will notice." The Warden grinned at Darkwing. "The last of the paperwork got filed an hour ago. It official: The Liquidator is on his way to the Tomb. All we need if for you to give the cell one last check out before we send it down."  
  
The Warden led Darkwing to a large metal box near the corner of the room. The box was actually a high-tech temporary prison cell. It was water tight, air tight, and soundproof. In short, it was completely sealed off from the outside world. It had only one purpose, to hold prisoner while they were transported to the Tomb.  
  
The Tomb. The Warden shuddered as he thought about it. The Tomb was Saint Canard's only ultimate-security prison. Indeed, the only ultimate-security prison in the world. It was located nearly a mile below the surface of the Earth and was entirely self contained. There were no guards at the Tomb, as the complex was completely mechanized.   
  
Sara Temple, its designer, claimed the Tomb was inescapable. The Warden was beginning to believe that she was right. He had only sent one other person to the Tomb, and that person never came back. The Tomb had held Negaduck over a year now, and it looked like it would hold him for a long time to come...  
  
The Warden's train of thought was broken when Darkwing finished his inspection. "Well, looks like everything's secure. When does he get sent down?"  
  
"Assuming nothing goes wrong, we should have everything ready by tomorrow night." The Warden paused. "Well, I think that's it. One of my boys will escort you back to the main compound. I'm sure you can find your way out from there." The Warden gave Darkwing a slight salute, and watched him walk away.  
  
After Darkwing had left, the Warden walked back to the cell. He casually glanced through the construct's only window. Just as the Warden had suspected, Liquidator had seen Darkwing through the window, and was pounding on the cell's wall with renewed vigor. The Warden smirked at the futility of the attacks. "Well, Liquie, hope you enjoyed your time in the spotlight, 'cause it's over now and it's never coming back. Enjoy the Tomb..." With that, the Warden walked away.  
  
---------------  
  
Inside the cell...  
  
The Liquidator pounded his fists against the window in frustration. "No! Don't leave me like this! Let me out of here!" Liquidator watched helplessly as the Warden walked away. "You can't do this to me... Please... Don't do this to me..." Liquidator lowered his head in despair. When he spoke again, his voice was barely a whisper. "You don't understand... I'm just a clone..."  
  
---------------  
  
Nighttime... Saint Canard business district...  
  
A lone figure strode through the shadows of an abandoned store. He glanced around, looking at the damage that had recently been done. Shelves were overturned, machinery was broken, chemicals had been spilled, and to top it off, there were several gaping holes in the ceiling.  
  
The figure shook his head and sighed. "Looks like the overseer didn't do so well. Pity... I had worked so hard on this set-up. Its a shame it had to end so soon... Well, not much else to do but pick up the pieces and move on."  
  
The figure raised his arm dramatically. In response, water in a small tank below the building began rising. As it cruised through the pipes on it's way to the surface, it carried with it a small black box. A small fountain erupted near the figure, with the black box supported on top of it.  
  
As he opened the box, the figure's face brightened. "Well, maybe he didn't do so bad after all..." The figure closed the box and glanced around the store again. "Hmm... I still have the cloning formula, so this scheme doesn't have to be over. If I salvage some of this equipment..."  
  
The figure shook his head. "Nah. The scheme has run its course. If it's begun again, they'll catch on immediately. And the second time, they won't stop until they're sure it's over." The figure paused for a moment. "Perhaps it's time to fade from the stage, and work from behind the scenes for a while. Let them think the show is over... If they forget about me, my reappearance will be all the more dramatic..."  
  
With that, the figure tucked the box under his arm, and faded away into the night...  
  
  
End. Roll credits and the Darkwing Duck closing theme.  
  
  
Disclaimer: All official Darkwing Duck characters are copyright Disney. No infringements were intended. All other characters are copyright me, and who knows, maybe I'll actually use them again someday. In any case, please send any questions, comments, or random thoughts to Charlie 'Crash' Stadele at cas5878@ksu.edu. 


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